Changing Faces and Changing Hearts
Expectancy filled the air at the Renton Farmers' Market .The M.C. said that we were going to see a performance rarely seen outside of Mainland China called Changing Faces. Every chair under the small canopy seating fifty people was
filled. A middle aisle divided the chairs into two sections. The rest us were crowded around the canopy under the blazing sun happily anticipating the upcoming act. Everything was going well and we could
all see. Abruptly a woman got up from her chair and came and stood among the
chairs in front of everyone. I thought, "Well, that was certainly
rude." The elderly disabled women who
were seated couldn’t see and couldn’t move. I walked up to the offending person
and politely asked, “ Could you please move because you are blocking the view”
, while I pointed to the seated women.
What happened next shocked me. The woman turned around angrily and snarled like a rabid
dog growling, “It’s a public place, I’ll stand where I want.” Stunned faces turned
towards me. I guess they were waiting
for me to respond in like manner. I shrugged my shoulders. “Oops,” I thought,
“Well I tried,” and retreated to my former spot.
That morning I had prayed, " Dear God help me to not be
reactionary to every thing that happens around me." I’d prayed that because lately I
found myself becoming hostile to crazy driving while thinking awful things
about those unknown drivers. Additionally my blood pressure had been rising at the increase
of people who honk their horns to move the millisecond a light turned green.* Now here I was outside the comfort and safety
of my car face to face with a raging woman. I began to silently pray. I asked
God to calm me. I also wondered why she would act that way over a simple
request. I thought of writing the Golden Rule on a card and slipping it to her. “Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you.” I wondered if she had a mother who was disabled, would she like
someone to stand and block her view? After a few stubborn moments she eventually
inched her way over to the aisle where she was not blocking anyone. As the M.C. previously announced the performance was mesmerizing and magical.
After about ten minutes, in
between performances the woman turned around and looked at me. She was actually
quite attractive. Her features had softened into a pleasant face framed by her
blond hair. She said, “I am so sorry that I talked to you that way.” “I didn’t
mean to come across like that,” she sheepishly continued. I responded, “I accept
your apology.” I’m thinking maybe she had prayed that morning too.
Proverbs 17:27 The one who knows much says little; an
understanding person remains calm.
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